Go for bariatric surgery if you are obese: It can significantly bring down your risk of cancer

A new study says that bariatric surgery can drastically lower the risk of cancer in individuals with severe obesity and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

By: Jahnavi Sarma | | Updated: March 30, 2021 9:14 am

According to researchers, the study showed that all cancers were decreased, but obesity-related cancers in particular were decreased even more.

Obesity is a major health issue that is increasingly assuming epidemic proportions across the world. It puts you in danger of chronic ailments like hypertension, heart disease and diabetes. Besides, the quality of life of an obese person also goes down drastically. Usual weight loss techniques like going on a diet and exercising may not work for morbidly obese individuals. So, many doctors advice bariatric surgery to such patients as an option to lose weight. This is thought to be a relative safe procedure and the health benefits that an obese person will enjoy post the procedure is said to outweigh any possible side effects, which are few. Now, a new study has found a link between bariatric surgery and cancer. According to researchers from Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in the US, bariatric surgery can significantly bring down the risk of cancer in individuals with severe obesity and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The journal Gastroenterology published this study. Also Read - How Often Should One Engage In A Routine Health Checkup?

Bariatric surgery can reduce risk of many cancers

In addition to an overall reduction in cancer risk for obese individuals, the findings indicate that bariatric surgery was associated with significant risk reductions in these individuals for the following obesity-related cancers — colorectal, pancreatic, endometrial and thyroid cancers, as well as hepatocellular carcinoma and multiple myeloma. Experts have always known that obesity leads to certain problems, including cancer. But, till date, no research was conducted to know if the same was true the other way around too, ie, if weight loss actually reduced the risk of those cancers. Also Read - COVID-19 Vaccine: Cancer patients ‘not protected’ after taking the first jab

It brings down risk of all cancers by 18 per cent

According to researchers, the study showed that all cancers were decreased, but obesity-related cancers in particular were decreased even more. Specifically, it showed a reduction in risk for all types of cancer by 18 per cent, with the risk for obesity-related cancers being reduced by 25 per cent. When comparing cirrhotic versus non-cirrhotic patients, cancer risk was reduced by 38 per cent and 52 per cent, respectively. Also Read - Can night shifts increase your risk of breast cancer? Here’s what experts has to say

Understanding link between NAFLD and cancer

For the purpose of the study, researchers looked at de-identified claims data of more than 98,000 privately insured individuals age 18 to 64 years old, who were diagnosed with severe obesity and NAFLD between 2007 and 2017. Of those, more than a third (34.1 per cent) subsequently had bariatric surgery. According to the researchers, the study results offer practical insight for clinicians and building blocks for future studies on the connection between NAFLD and cancer. Understanding the connection between NAFLD and cancer may identify new targets and treatments, such as antidiabetic, satiety, or GLP-1-based medications, for chemoprevention in NAFLD/NASH. Though bariatric surgery is a more aggressive approach than lifestyle modifications, surgery may provide additional benefits, such as improved quality of life and decreased long-term healthcare costs, said the researchers.

(With inputs from IANS)

Published : March 29, 2021 1:49 pm | Updated:March 30, 2021 9:14 am

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